How to remove the black and white screen on Android: from simple settings to hidden functions

The black and white screen on a smartphone is a problem that users face Android regardless of the model: be it budget Redmi or flagship Samsung Galaxy S23. In most cases, this is not a hardware failure, but a software glitch or an activated screen function. But how can you distinguish a bug from a serious malfunction and return the colors without contacting a service center?

In this article we will analyze all possible reasons the appearance of a monochrome image - from accidentally turning on the mode for the visually impaired to damage to the display cable. You will receive step-by-step guide for each situation, including hidden developer and team settings ADB. And if the problem turns out to be hardware, learn to diagnose it without disassembling the phone.

Important: some methods require root access or connecting to a PC. We have marked such cases with special warnings. Start with the simplest solutions - in 80% of cases they help restore colors in 2-3 minutes.

1. Check the “Grayscale” mode in the accessibility settings

The most common reason for a black and white screen is accidentally turning on the function "Shades of Gray" (or “Color Correction”). This mode is intended for people with color vision impairment, but is often activated through Quick Settings or hotkeys.

How to disable:

• 📱 Open Settings → Accessibility (on some firmware - Settings → Additional functions).
• 🔍 Find the section "Color correction", "Shades of gray" or "Color correction".
• 🔄 Switch the slider to position Off → Color mode or select an option "No correction".
• 🔄 If the option is missing, check Settings → Display → Color Mode (relevant for Samsung And OnePlus).

On some devices (for example, Xiaomi with firmware MIUI), this mode may be called “Black and white filter” and hidden in Settings → Screen → Color scheme. If not found, use the search in the settings (magnifying glass icon in the upper right). corner).

2. Turn off the power saving mode or “Ultra Economy Mode”

Many manufacturers (especially Xiaomi, Huawei and Oppo) in order to save battery power, automatically switch the screen to black and white mode when activated. power saving mode. This is done to reduce the load on the processor and display.

How to check:

• 🔋 Open Settings → Battery.
• 🔍 Find options "Energy Saving", "Ultra Mode" or "Super Saving".
• ⚡ If the mode is enabled, turn it off and reboot phone.
• ⚠️ On Xiaomi v MIUI 14+ a black and white screen may appear when the charge level is below 5%. Connect the charger!

On some devices (for example, Samsung Galaxy M series), black and white mode is activated when the function is activated. "Adaptive battery". To return the colors, disable it in Settings → Device maintenance → Battery → Settings → Adaptive battery.

3. Reset the screen settings through the developer menu

If the standard settings did not help, the problem may lie in incorrect display parametersthat are not reset in the usual way. In this case, the menu for developers will help (Developer Options).

Instructions:

1. Activate the developer menu (if it is disabled): go to Settings → About phone and click on "Build number".
2. Return to the main settings menu and open System → For developers (or Advanced → For developers).
3. Find the options:
   • 🔄 "Reset screen settings" (Reset display settings)
   • 🎨 "Simulate color space" - should be "Disabled"
   • 🔄 "Disable hardware overlays" (if enabled - turn off)

On some firmware (for example, ColorOS from Oppo/Realme) these options may be called differently. If you haven’t found the exact one. translation - use the search in the developer menu.

4. Use ADB commands to force a color profile reset

If the software settings do not help, and root access are missing, you can try resetting the color profile via Android Debug Bridge (ADB)This method works even if the screen is completely full. black and white, but the phone responds to touches.

Step-by-step guide:

1. Download and install ADB Tools on PC.
2. Enable "USB debugging" on the phone:
   • 🔧 Go to Settings → System → For developers.
   • 🔧 Activate "USB Debugging".
   • 🔧 Connect your phone to the PC and confirm trust in the computer.

adb shell settings put secure accessibility_display_daltonizer_enabled 0
adb shell settings put secure accessibility_display_daltonizer 0
adb shell settings put global night_display_available 0
adb shell settings put global night_display_activated 0

adb reboot

If the colors do not return after executing the commands, check if it is activated night mode (it can give a similar effect). Disable it with the command:

adb shell settings put global night_display_available 0

Install ADB Tools on PC|

Enable “USB Debugging” on the phone|

Connect the phone with the original cable|

Allow debugging on the phone screen|

Open a command line in the folder with adb.exe-->

5. Check the hardware reasons: display cable and matrix

If software methods do not work, the problem may be hardware. Most often, a black and white screen appears due to:

• 🔌 Damaged display cable (after dropping or disassembling the phone).
• 💥 Faulty matrix (manufacturing defect or physical damage).
• 🔋 Chipset overheating (in rare cases, it leads to a graphics driver failure).

How to diagnose:

To check the cable, you can gently press on the phone body in the area next to the volume buttons (where the cable goes to the display). If the colors return for a second when pressed, there is a problem exactly in the cable. In this case, disassembly and replacement of the part will be required.

6. Perform a factory reset (if all else fails)

If all the previous methods were useless, the last software method remains - reset to factory settings. This will delete all data from the phone, so first make a backup copy (if the screen responds to touches).

How to reset settings:

1. 📱 Go to Settings → System → Reset settings (on some firmware - Settings → Advanced → Reset and recovery).
2. 🔄 Select "Delete all data" or "Reset settings".
3. 🔐 Enter the PIN code or pattern (if required).
4. ⚠️ Confirm the action - the phone will reboot and begin the reset process.

If the screen does not respond to touch, but the phone turns on, you can reset via Recovery mode:

1. Turn off the phone.
2. Hold down the combination of buttons (depending on the model):
   • 📱 Samsung: Volume up + Bixby + Power
   • 📱 Xiaomi/Redmi/Poco: Volume up + Power
   • 📱 Google Pixel: Volume down + Power

fastboot erase userdata

7. Contact the service center: when self-repair is impossible

If none of the methods helped, and the screen remains black and white, there is a high probability of a problem hardware. In this case, professional diagnostics will be required. Pay attention to the following signs indicating the need for repair:

• 🔧 The screen remains black and white even after flashing and resetting.
• 💥 Physical damage (cracks, stains) is visible on the display.
• 🔌 The phone has stopped responding to charging or periodically turns off.
• 🔊 Along with the black and white screen, the sound has disappeared or the sensors are not working.

The cost of repair depends on the reason:

Before taking your phone to a service center, check to see if it is still under warranty. If the device is under warranty Do not disassemble it yourself —this will void the warranty. Contact the brand's official service center.

FAQ: Frequently asked questions about the black and white screen on Android

If your case is not described in the article, check the details: after what actions the black and white screen appeared, whether the phone responds to touches, and what model of smartphone you have. This will help diagnose the problem more accurately.